News in brief

New York Post apologises for chimpanzee cartoon

The New York Post has apologised for a cartoon that some have interpreted as comparing Barack Obama to a chimpanzee shot by police after it mauled a friend of its owner. But the newspaper also said its longtime antagonists had exploited the image for revenge. Critics who have been protesting outside the newspaper's offices for two days said yesterday they may continue the demonstration. The newspaper posted an editorial on its website on Thursday saying the cartoon was meant to mock the federal economic stimulus bill, but "to those who were offended, we apologise". Associated Press in New York

Missing evidence delays Karadzic war crimes case

A hearing for the former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, has been delayed because of a mistake by prosecutors. Karadzic was expected to enter pleas to a new streamlined indictment, but judges did not include evidence of the alleged killing of 140 detainees at the Serb-run Susica camp in eastern Bosnia because prosecutors had failed to provide it. A trial attorney, Alan Tieger, said prosecutors regretted the mistake, and wanted time to provide the evidence. No new date was set for Karadzic's pleas. Associated Press in The Hague

Magistrate in Pinochet case taken to hospital

Spain's best-known investigative magistrate, Baltasar Garzón, has been taken to hospital after an anxiety attack caused his blood pressure to shoot up. Garzón, 53, has handled a wide range of cases involving Islamic extremism, drug trafficking, human rights and other issues. A court official said Garzón became indisposed while working in his national court office in Madrid and was taken to a hospital by staff. Garzón came to prominence in 1998 when he led a campaign to extradite the former Chilean military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, from London to Spain for human rights abuses. Associated Press in Madrid

Minister aims to speed up safer cigarettes after fires

Australian officials want to fast-track rules that make cigarettes less likely to ignite fires, in response to the wildfires that killed at least 209 people earlier this month.The consumer affairs minister, Chris Brown, wants to speed up the laws passed in September that require cigarette companies to change the paper and chemical additives to stop cigarettes burning quickly once discarded. Currently, the laws will not take effect until March next year. It is not known if cigarette butts were responsible for any of February's 400 fires in southern Victoria, but they have been a factor in previous blazes. Associated Press in Canberra